When long forgotten enemies return
by LazerTH
Summary: This is the continuation to Saber, Zero. A sequel was asked for, so I was more than happy to provide one. Hope you enjoy this.
1. Thoughts and an invitation

When long forgotten enemies return

When long forgotten enemies return By LazerTH 

Note: Megaman X, Alia, Signas and all other characters in this fanfiction belong to Capcom.

Note about this fanfiction: This is the continuation of my previous story, "Saber, Zero". If you want to get a sense of continuity, read that one first.

Ch. 1: Thoughts and an invitation

The quarters of Megaman X were quite large. Sunlight slanted into the room through a huge Plexiglas window that opened to a view of an ocean nearest to Maverick Hunter HQ. The famous Hunter, X, had his hands on the windowsill as he gazed out to the ocean. What a beautiful sight, he thought, and I have the best view. He was the commander of all Maverick Hunters in the base, so the perks of the job (such as this large room) were favourable to him. He stood there, looking at the ocean, and remembered that this was the ocean in which he had fought (and destroyed) Duff McWhalen. It had been during the Fifth War when he had 'retired' the old sailor, so that HQ could utilize the ocean's hydrogen in order to create nuclear fission for the Enigma Beam. They had been successful, of course, and the Enigma Beam had served its purpose… but that was in the past.

He thought of the recent Maverick activities. Even with Sigma gone (forever, X hoped), Maverick activities continued here and there. His work was never done, but he accepted it. His thoughts drifted to Zero. Every day X thought of Zero, especially after his dream four days ago. Zero never left X's thoughts, as if his ghost was occupying his mind. X was still worried about the disappearance of his friend's body. Where had it gone? And, who had taken it? He did not know.

_"You've got mail!"_

"What?"

The computerized voice broke X from his thoughts. The blue Hunter walked over and sat down in front of his PC. He moved the mouse, and selected the small mailbox that had appeared in the center of the display. An email popped up.

"From Alia…"

It read:

_"X, I have some information that you might be interested in. Meet me in my quarters ASAP._

_Your computer expert,_

_Alia."_

X exited the email. He realized that this was his first invitation to a female Reploid's quarters. He smiled, and looked at the blue tulips on his table. Should he carry them to her? What about chemical compounds instead? It would never do. He wanted his relationship with Alia on a strictly businesslike level, neither more nor less than that. But, did SHE want more than that? After musing for a few moments, he sighed, and left his quarters.


	2. A futile hope?

Ch

Ch. 2: A futile hope?

The white doors shuddered apart and admitted X into the room. Alia was at her desk, in front of her computer. She pushed away from the desk (her armchair was on wheels), and considered the data on the screen, a frown on her face. The she shook her head.

"This can't be right… It's impossible…"

X walked over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. She jumped a little.

"Oh! X, you surprised me."

"Don't tell me you didn't hear me come in. The hydraulics on your door requires servicing."

"Yes, well, I'm not really concerned with that. I wanted to show you this," she indicated the screen. X took a chair from beside her pod (a pod is to reploids what a bed is to humans) and sat beside her. They both looked at the display. He saw a wave pattern that flared up for a second, and then died away, to repeat itself over again.

"An energy signature of some kind?"

"You recognize the pattern? HQ received it once per day for three days during this week. It transmitted for one second, then died away."

"So, what is the significance? There are energy signatures from reploids across the Earth that can be received by HQ at any time of the day."

"Yes, but this one came from Sector Z, coordinates (0,0)"

"The South Pole?"

"Correct. Also, it was received at midnight each time."

X noted that on the 24-hour clock, midnight was also called 'zero hundred hours'.

"So… a regular signal, positioned at the South Pole and transmitted midnight each time. Is there anything else?"

"Yes… the reason I called you… The signal… It's Zero's."

"WHAT!!!" X yelled, his eyes dilating several inches. He looked at the screen, which had the ever-repeating wave pattern of Zero's energy signature. Alia grinned slightly. She knew that X would be bowled over by this revelation.

"Zero… you're alive? I knew you were…" he murmured, eyes transfixed on the screen. Was it a futile hope? Both reploids were uncertain.


	3. Expedition to Sector Z

Ch

Ch. 3: Expedition to Sector Z

Loading Bay 1. The largest transport bay of HQ, with all manner of air, ground and water transport. X, with the reploid General Signas next to him, stood nervously as they both watched Alia tapping away at a computer console. She was accessing satellite readouts of the South Pole. 

"X, you know that the chances of this signal actually being Zero himself are very slim."

"I agree," Alia turned from the console. "This was a very obscure signal. It could be a mistake…"

"Wasn't it Zero's signal that you picked up?" X asked. Alia nodded. "Then it HAS to be Zero! His energy signature, like mine, is unmistakable. There _must_ be a chance. I can't miss an opportunity to find him!"

Alia looked at Signas, who shrugged. Arguing with X's single-minded devotion to Zero was like trying to convince Sigma to take ballet classes (although Sigma no longer existed).

"I have the readouts."

"Let me see."

They peered at the screen.

"There's a snowstorm. That means we can't teleport you there," Signas said at last, with a hint of relief in his voice. X placed his hands on his hips.

"Any other remarkable readings?"

"Well, if there is something else out there besides snow, it must be heavily shielded if the satellite can't detect it."

"OK! I'll have to arrange a suitable transport…"

"X! You can't go out there! Trying to find anything in those conditions would be impossible!" Signas protested. X shook his head.

"You can't change my mind. I'm leaving you in charge, Signas!"

X ran off. Signas stared blankly after him.

"Isn't that my original job?" 

"I guess he means that if he doesn't come back, you'll be in charge."

"Don't be ridiculous. If I knew anything about X, I would know that he always returns."

"I hope you're right."

"Clark? I need your help."

The black clad pilot turned to X. He had been on the way to the lounge, but if X needed help, he would not deny him.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to get the Natural Disaster Response Unit up and running. I'm going to the South Pole!"

"W- What! Why would you want to go to the South Pole? Did I hear you right?"

"Yes. Alia picked up Zero's energy signature there."

Clark was utterly bewildered. Zero? The South Pole? It didn't make sense!

"But…"

"Just do it, Clark! If not for me, for Zero! Weren't you in his unit for a few months?"

"Well, yes, until I got into Natural Disaster Response detail. OK, I give in. The craft will be ready in forty minutes. It's been a while since I last flew it."

"Excellent. I'll be there!"

The two reploids went their separate ways. Both had arrangements to be made, if this expedition was to be successful. 

Forty minutes later…

Alia and Signas watched as X and Clark walked up the stairwell to the craft.

"I give it the green light. We're ready to leave!"

"So am I."

"Good luck, X!" Alia called from below. She was waving.

"I hope that your mission is successful," Signas said, holding up a hand in a gesture of farewell.

"I'll be OK! Just keep things in order around here before I return!" he replied.

"We have just enough fuel to drop you over the coordinates, and make it back to HQ. Let's go!"

The two disappeared into the sleek craft. It was designed to withstand many variations of climate, weather and temperature. The engines charged and roared, as the craft rocketed toward the South Pole, on a mission that seemed to be hopeless.

Half an hour later…

"X, we're approaching the South Pole. The storm is still going strong, so I suggest you strap in tight."

"I'll be there in a moment," the blue Hunter called from the passenger room. He had been on his feet and staring out over the ocean for the entire journey. He made his way past rows of seats and entered the cockpit. Clark was at the controls.

"I hope we find something out there. For Zero's sake."

X remembered the Saber he carried on him. It might come in useful.

X strapped in. He looked through the view screen, and could clearly see the swirling clouds of snow they were about to enter.

"We're almost in the storm. Will be experiencing turbulence right about… Now."

The craft shuddered and shook as the storm suddenly enveloped it. Clark fought with the controls to keep the craft steady. They heard many clanking sounds about the ship as hailstones battered its heavy shielding.

"Oh, no! This can't be!" Clark exclaimed suddenly, jamming various buttons left and right as warning klaxons sounded.

"What?"

"Our fuel lines… they've been cut!"

"What! How? I thought the ship could handle this storm…"

"It can! I checked everything thoroughly before we left. It could only mean sabotage or…"

"Or what?"

"Someone just attacked us."

"Here! How could 'they' even see us in this storm?"

The ship shuddered more and more.

"I have no choice! We're turning back now before we run out of fuel entirely!"

"No way! I came all this way to find Zero, and nothing can stop me!"

"But, we don't have enough fuel to make it to the coordinates and back! We'll crash!"

"Then I'll go at it alone!"

X un-strapped himself and ran toward the rear of the ship. In the cargo, he called Clark on the radio.

"Clark! I'm going to open the cargo doors and use a hoverbike for the rest of the journey!"

"Are you insane!?" Clark yelled into the microphone, "You can't just drop yourself from the ship and take a ride in this weather!"

"Yes I can! I'm breaking contact now!"

"X! Don't be foolish!"

X was not listening, of course. He punched a button, and the cargo door groaned open. He was deluged by sleet, snow and a gale, but managed to unhook one of the bikes and zoom out. He fell two hundred feet to the ground, but he gunned the bike to compensate for the fall, wasting nearly all its fuel. When near enough to the ground, he charged on with the bike through the relentless storm. The bike was also designed for severe weather, so he had relatively little trouble riding it. Not even Mother Nature could prevent this reploid from finding his friend.

Above, Clark swung the ship around and headed for home. He could not land the ship and repair the damage in this storm. He prayed that X would find what he was looking for- and come back alive.

About half an hour later, the fuel in the bike finally ran out. X muttered to himself about how unreliable modern technology was, and hopped off the bike. He threw up an arm to protect his face from the fierce snowstorm, and trudged onward in the general direction of the coordinates. 

A few minutes later he stumbled upon a mound in the snow, taller than he was. He checked the homing device. Yes, this was the exact place. He felt around the cold, hard snow and eventually, something gave way.

On the mound, a door appeared. It opened.

"Zero… I'm coming."

He walked inside, and the door closed.


	4. A wily old man

Ch

Ch. 4: A wily old man

X found himself inside of a descending elevator. It was becoming warmer every second as he zoomed downward. He did not know where he was going, nor did he know what he would find, but he did know that he could handle whatever Fate had in store.

The elevator finally stopped. X quickly calculated that he was over two hundred feet underground. No wonder the satellite couldn't pick up anything before.

"What happens now?"

He tentatively stepped onto the new ground. It was a well-lit corridor leading to a heavily armoured door. His footsteps sounded hollow as he approached. The door gave no problem, however, and he managed to push it inward.

And be amazed.

"Whoa… if only Dr. Cain saw _this…"_

The room was large, and had more light than the corridor. Tables upon tables of robot body parts lay across the length of the room. Large, hulking machines lay unused in many parts of the 'laboratory', along with empty stasis capsules. Everything had the rust and tarnish of long disuse. He gaped in awe. Who did all this belong to? He spied a familiar object in one corner.

"I can't believe it… Zero's capsule… but I thought Sigma had gotten hold of it!"

He looked at the fourteen metres high, eight metres wide capsule which was painted red and yellow. For some reason, his own stasis capsule was of the same proportions when Dr. Cain had first found him.

"Welcome to my laboratory."

"Huh!?"

X spun around. A purple hologram had materialized next to him. It was of an ancient man, wearing a large lab coat, which hung about his shoulders. He had wild hair that stuck out of the two sides of his head, and wore a large moustache.

"You… you look so familiar."

"I should be… Megaman!"

"What! No one called me that, since…"

X's eyes dilated several inches again:

"Can it possibly be that YOU are Albert Wily?"

"Yes, I am. I exist as a shadow of the former robot maker. I had hoped to be the greatest in the world, but after Dr. Light created YOU, Megaman, all my plans were for naught. No matter how hard I tried, the plans I made, the robots I created, you continued to win over and over again. After many years, I finally created this incredibly powerful robot… it was a huge gamble, in terms of reliability, but I took the risk. I had nothing to lose. My masterpiece destroyed you. Finally, after so many years I had won! Then fate dealt me a crushing blow. I was infected with a horrible disease that was incurable at the time. So I decided, before I died, to move all of my life's work here, where no one would find it. After I found out that Dr. Light had locked you in stasis mode for thirty years, I did the same to my masterpiece. Then, I stored my mind in computers, to watch and wait forever. After you and my masterpiece awoke, he was captured, and you both became best of friends, I understand…"

X had been listening in fascination. That was why Dr. light had sealed him in the capsule! The moment Wily mentioned "best of friends," X suddenly understood.

"You… _you were the creator of Zero!"_

"Yes. I gave him a little something to carry with him in the stasis capsule. The Maverick Virus, a thing of my own creation. It was designed to make Zero far stronger than usual. However, when Sigma fought Zero, the virus was transferred to him instead. Then it was named the "Sigma Virus". In the last War, as you may have been told, I contacted Sigma and advised him to release the virus all over Earth, so that MY masterpiece would finally discover his true self, and his true purpose- to destroy YOU!"

X was suddenly hit with the awful truth. The scattered, confused thoughts in his head suddenly became as clear as transparent platinum.

"I understand now… what Sigma was talking about… he said that there was another who also hated me… and that person was you… you were the one who told him to release the virus, severely damaging the Earth, just so that Zero would awaken to his true self, and destroy ME!?"

X was very bewildered by all of this. Wily had been the cause of all the Wars, by using Zero as the carrier of the Maverick Virus. Sigma was just a pawn that Wily had used to try and awaken Zero. It had failed, however, but Zero was now gone.

Wily chuckled for a while.

"Yes, X, you've finally gotten it, haven't you? I started all the chaos. I wanted to destroy you so completely, that I would even risk the world's destruction. Zero still had not awoken during the fifth War… it was because you and Zero formed a formidable team that triumphed against all odds. My son and yourself… allies! That is an oxymoron if I have ever seen one."

X glared at Wily. His SON!?

"You! You're even crazier than Sigma!! You're not Zero's father! How could one so evil have created the Hunter that Zero was? And what did you do to his body?"

It was Wily's turn to glare at X.

"My _son_ is very safe, mind you. He will come back to your world, X, not after I have dealt with him myself… I almost forgot to tell you. I had used a replica of Zero's power generator to lure you here after your HQ picked up its energy signature. And now, Megaman, I want you to meet an old rival of yours… and his pet."


	5. Rivals Forever

Ch

Ch. 5: Rivals Forever

The room around X dissolved. It had all been another hologram, like Wily! He found himself standing in a room as large as the first, except this one had blank, metallic gray walls and floor. Wily appeared before him once again.

"It is time for them to awaken and eliminate you, Megaman. I have made them hundreds of times stronger, by using an adapted form of the Maverick Virus along with enhanced upgrades."

The far end of the room split open, revealing two large pods. The first opened, and a huge, purple robotic dog bounded out, snarling and gnashing its teeth. X recognized this new threat. He had had a master…

The second one opened.

"Finally… it has been forty years since we last fought, Megaman!"

"You're… Bass!"

The tall, black and yellow clad robot arrogantly stepped out of the pod. He was grinning. X was stunned.

"Why, Bass? After forty years, why can't you forget our rivalry? We're no longer enemies! It's ancient history!"

"You forget, Megaman. My purpose of being is to DESTROY **YOU!!**" he shouted, pointing a finger at him. Wily chuckled.

"So you won't change your mind…" X said, more of a statement rather than a question.

"Never! Treble, attack!"

The large purple dog leaped into the air above Bass. The latter also jumped upward. In a terrific blast of purple light, they transformed into Gospel Boost _Plus_.

"You see, Megaman? Their sole purpose now is to annihilate you."

X's eyes narrowed. Upon combining with Treble, Bass was even more powerful. Wily had also mentioned upgrades.

"Even if you caught me by surprise, I didn't come unprepared!!" 

"WHAT!" Wily shouted. X had begun to glow from within. The white light emanated outward, and dissipated.

X, equipped with Ultimate Armour, stood there. During the forty minutes before launch, X had found Douglas and arranged for several upgrades: the Ultimate Armour, Ultimate Buster and Jump upgrade. He was quite ready to face this new challenge.

"It doesn't matter how many enhancements you have, X! I will destroy you if it takes all my energy!"

_"Make your move," _X thought. Wily stood at the back of the room, an amused expression on his face.

"Die!"

Bass held up his arm cannon, and huge purple energy orbs exploded outward. X leaped backward, avoided the blasts, kicked off the wall and fired off a plasma buster, which struck full force and grounded Bass.

"So… you ARE more powerful," he sneered, as smoke rose from his body.

"Did I surprise you? I can give you the chance to surrender, if you want."

"Hah! As if I would surrender to the child that you are!"

He flew upward again and made a dashing charge, low to the ground and surrounded by purple energy. X pulled off a Novastrike, and sparks flew everywhere as they flew past each other, neither being hurt. Bass pointed his finger to the zenith, and lightning struck his body. The lightning then flew toward the ceiling, and X found himself dodging the same electric bolts.

"Ugh!"

A bolt exploded on the ground before him and he was thrown backward.

"That's some attack!"

"Glad you liked it!"

Bass charged his fist, and his detached from his arm in a blazing aura of energy. It moved too fast for X, who was damaged and thrown into the wall by it. The fist returned to its owner. X groaned slightly and got to his feet.

As Bass tried another charge at him, he fired off two plasma shots in quick succession. His rival was slowed down somewhat by the plasma spheres, so X did another Novastrike. This time, it hit home.

"Agghhhh!" 

Bass screamed and crashed into the wall. He had taken a lot of damage. X landed and immediately fired off a hail of plasma shots (kudos to the Ultimate Buster), which mercilessly slammed into Bass, inflicting so much damage that he slunk to the ground and laid as if dead. X turned to Wily, standing as a lion does after the kill. The old robot maker had a shocked expression on his face.

"H- how…"

"Tell me where Zero is. Now."

"I would never tell you that. You can't harm me this time."

"Yes, but if you do not, Bass will need another forty years in that stasis pod."

He turned to Bass, who was still unconscious on the floor. The arm cannon was poised and ready for the final blow.

"X, you fool, don't believe that the destruction of my robot will force me to betray Zero's location. Bass and Treble are simply pawns like Sigma. Isn't it interesting that you defeated both of them? You are the number one reploid… heeheeheheh…"

X remembered that last sentence also coming from Sigma. How much influence did Wily have in all of this?

Behind them, Bass slowly regained consciousness. His vision was a shimmering blur. He could not remember the last time that he had been beaten so quickly, and damaged so brutally. He had also heard what Wily had said. With a grunt, he managed to get on one knee.

"…Damn you… Megaman. I'll defeat you yet. As for you, Wily, I'm no longer your 'pawn'. I can defeat _him_ without your help…"

"Bass! Even now you would betray me, your creator. Hmm, this is interesting indeed. Your sole purpose was to defeat Megaman. Since you have failed miserably at that over and over again, your existence is now… worthless."

The words stung Bass like a sharp spear had been driven through him. He had had only one purpose, he now realized. The only reason he was alive was for him to eliminate Megaman. Wily had been using him…

"Wily! What are you going to do now?" X challenged.

"Take out the slag," he replied tersely.

The floor beneath X shuddered violently. He momentarily lost his footing and he understood that the floor was beginning to slant downward. He grappled for something to hold on to, but the floor was too smooth. As he slid downward, he felt tremendous heat building up beneath him. As he looked behind and below, his circulatory pump skipped a beat.

There was a large container of molten lava positioned under the floor.

"Hah, hah, hah! You have nowhere to run, Megaman! You'll soon be a legend!" Wily laughed maniacally. Bass was also trying to find some foothold to prevent his meltdown.

"Wily! You bastard! After all I did for you, all the plans I helped you carry out, this is how you would repay me!?" he screamed harshly, his eyes wide with horror as he tried to hold onto something.

X was having similar problems. Then he remembered: he was wearing the Ultimate Armour. He was not sure if he should save Bass or not, but if he did, would Bass still want to destroy him? He made his decision, as the floor swung slowly downward.

"Hang on, Bass!"

X flung himself forward, and gained enough momentum to perform another Novastrike. Above the lava, he rocketed above Bass. He came out of the blazing golden fireball, and hit the floor, causing it to shudder even more. Bass slipped further downward.

_"What the hell is Megaman doing?"_ Bass thought furiously. X reached behind his back and removed the glowing, green Z Saber. He stabbed it into the floor and slid downward. He held out a hand toward Bass.

"Bass! Hold on to my hand!"

Bass stared at his rival in utter disbelief. After all their battles, his undying hatred for Megaman, the blue robot wanted to **_save_ **him?

"Why don't you save yourself? I'm a worthless pawn anyway!" he spat.

"No, Bass! You have your own life to live! After this, you can go your own way and live in peace!" X pleaded, as Bass slid inexorably downward to his doom. Bass, the creation of Dr. Wily, looked into X's eyes. They had nothing but determination in them. He looked at the outstretched hand. But he could never accept it. He would never be able to live with himself if he allowed X to save him. He would rather die. He lightened his grip, and moved away from X.

"No, Megaman, you live your life. You go ahead and form world peace or whatever is it that you do. My life is nothing now. Goodbye, Megaman. I'll see you in Hell's scrap yard!"

Bass let go. He fell, and Treble separated from him. They both fell downward, as Bass looked upward at X, who was speechless. Together, they fell into the lava. Together, the master and his canine let out their last cry. Together, they had died.

X could not tear his gaze from the lava pool. 

"Bass… why…"

The he realized that he would not be able to hang on much longer. The heat was beginning to overwhelm him. He bowed his head as the last respects to his rival, gripped the Saber and then executed a Novastrike. He blasted clear through the wall he had been hanging onto.

Above, the hologram of Wily hovered above the lava pit where one of his greatest creations had died. He did not quite understand why Megaman had tried to help Bass, but he did understand why Bass had refused. A warrior's honour did not permit him to receive help from the enemy. He looked at the hole through which X had escaped. Yet again, the robot had eluded him. It was amusing, Wily thought, that Zero's Saber, a thing of his own creation, was now used by his archenemy X. He shrugged, and disappeared.

There were other matters to attend to.

X had made an entrance back in the corridor. Red lights were blazing. The entire room was trembling. The place was going to explode within moments. How typical of Wily, he thought, to destroy his lab after being defeated. A blip came from his arm.

"X! Are you there?"

It was Signas.

"Yes! Now, get me out of here!"

"We've locked onto your location. Stand by!"

X felt a slight tingling sensation. In a blue beam, he teleported out of the death trap. He had come, seen, fought and left, with even more unpleasant memories to haunt him in his dreams.


	6. The beginning of another War

Ch

Ch. 6: The beginning of another War.

From the view port of the rescue ship, X (transformed out of the armour) watched on as the underground lab exploded. Massive amounts of snow heaved upward into the atmosphere, creating a miniature snowstorm of its own. Alia had calculated that the explosion would not cause the ice cap to break apart, thankfully. He turned from the scene and sat down in a passenger seat. Alia and Signas were watching him.

"X, did you find Zero?" Signas asked.

"No. But, I did find the lab of Dr. Wily."

Alia's eyes widened.

"THE Albert Wily? The mad scientist who tried to take over the world more than eight times?"

"Was he killed in the explosion?"

"No, Signas, although I wish he were this time. I'll tell you the story when we get back to HQ, since we can record it there. He… was the creator of Zero."

Both reploids nearly exploded with surprise. 

"What! HE created Zero!"

"Amazing! That's incredible!"

X rose from the seat.

"Where are you going, X?" Signas asked as the blue Hunter walked off.

"To have long, hard thoughts about my life."

They did not answer.

Several hours later (After taking a trip to the repair center and then recording the details of his private mission) X wound up in his room again. He was at the window, looking at the ocean. He sighed deeply. Today had been a total waste, it seemed, although many questions about Zero had been cleared up. He marveled at how insane Wily must be, to destroy Bass, just for not defeating his sworn enemy. He knew that Wily would come back to cause chaos once more, in the near future. Or would he give up, and delete his mind from his computers, so that he could sleep for all eternity? X had wanted so much for that signal to be Zero. But it had been a deadly trap instead. X wondered, that if Zero ever returned, would he still be able to trust him?

He walked away from the window. He removed the Saber from his backpack, and stared at it again. He remembered when Bass and Treble had taken their last plunge.

"Someday, Zero, we'll meet again… I just hope it won't be in death…"

Three years later, another War began.

********** **END************


End file.
